#privatedining

Chef Tatung’s Private Dining is open from Thursday to Sunday on a By-Reservation basis. Thursday and Friday reservations require a minimum of 6 persons while there is no minimum required on Saturday and Sunday. The residence is located along the rolling hills of Sierra Made and Antipolo, more specifically in Baras, Rizal. It is just less than an hour’s drive from Marcos Highway in Marikina, or just about an hour away from Pasig and C-5 in Quezon City. You can easily find it on Waze.

Chef Tatung opened his private hillside home in Rizal last May to welcome diners willing to venture off the beaten track for an exquisite dining experience. The well-manicured gardens and refreshing open areas are a breath of fresh air, especially now that the cities have become quite crowded once again. Chef Tatung used to host private dinners before in 2011 at his residence in Sikatuna Village, Quezon City, so he is quite experienced when it comes to these setups.

Chef Myke “Tatung” Sarthou is best known for his multimedia presence as an award-winning and best-selling author and the man behind Simpol, an online cooking show. In 2017, he earned the distinction of being the representative of the Philippines in Madrid Fusion, held in Madrid, Spain, where he also got to cook and showcase Philippine cuisine in Michelin-starred restaurants. His cooking is described as honest and straightforward, delicious with a touch of whimsy. The ambiance and service at his garden enclave heighten the whole destination dining experience.

There are several distinct areas around Tatung’s Private Dining, each with its own charm. Guests can first gather at the Outdoor Gazebo where welcome drinks will be served while waiting for other guests to arrive.

As the sun sets, the residence itself takes on a different romantic personality. Chef Tatung designed this place all by himself, without any formal architect or designers. His talent and craft is definitely not limited to the kitchen.

I was immediately met by the venue’s cute host, Choco Martin aka Guard Dog Dalisay. We had a short tour around the house, which is where Chef Tatung actually lives when he is not in Manila attending events and activities. His room is just upstairs with the rest of his family.

There’s a smaller private room here which can accommodate 6 to 8 persons. This room comes with several Chinese decors so it is called the Chinese Room.

On the other hand, the main dining hall is where most of the action happens. This can accommodate up to 20 persons and also comes with its own open kitchen where Chef Tatung and his crew will prepare your courses. There’s also a small al fresco area just outside the dining hall with a great view of the pool and gardens.

Chef Tatung has released a new 10-course menu called Nurturing Roots, which will be available starting August until October. The menu showcases little known ingredients, flavors and preparations from different parts of the country.

Complimentary bread baskets are served on the table to start our adventure around the archipelago. Theses are all freshly baked and still warm from the oven.

Our “Abre Gana” or starter in Cebuano comes with a trio of torched Kesong Puti using carabao mozzarella, Ensalada with Ampalaya Salad, and Crab Fat Butter.

The torched pork slice is a very savory component that balances the flavors of the salsa and the kesong puti. What I really loved was the crab fat aligue that I used to spread on the breads. It was a heavenly combination that left me wanting more, but this was just the first course so I had to be patient.

Guests have the option to get the 10-course tasting menu with wine pairing which comes with one glass of Cava, one glass of white wine and glass of red wine. These are great companions to each dish and makes the evening more memorable.

Our second course is Chef Tatung’s take on the tamales from Tacloban. The Tamalos is a Visayan Tamales topped with grilled corn salad. It’s quite a different presentation from the tamales that I usually see. It also comes with a dark barbecue-like sauce that gives it a savory taste.

Next is the Lumpiang Freska with its heart of palm and mixed seafood wrapped inside a squid ink crepe. This squid ink lumpia is definitely not your lola’s lumpia. It is served with a coconut sauce, garlic, and fish roe for a balance of sweet and salty flavors.

We also noticed that even though it is called a tasting menu, the portions of each course are quite big, unlike other tasting courses where you will still end up feeling hungry afterward. Chef Tatung makes sure that every guest will go home feeling content and fully satisfied.

The very pretty Duck Floss Warp is inspired by the Maranao pastil or patir which is a Filipino rice dish packed in wrapped in banana leaves. This wrap comes with airy duck floss, Maranao palapa, and betel nut leaf.

Simply crush down the duck floss to cover the betel nut leaf then wrap it like a lumpia. You can eat it by hand or just use your utensils to take a bite. The palapa is a popular dish from the Maranao people from Lanao del Sur and this is where Chef Tatung gets his inspiration for this dish.

Those were all just appetizers by the way. Now let’s go to our main courses. The Inasal at Saksak Sinagol is an adobo dish like no other. It comes with honey-glazed slow-roasted pork, mixed crop rice, and fried garlic. The Saksak Sinagol is a crop preparation from across the Visayas and Mindanao popular during times when rice is scarce. Chef Tatung adds his own touch to make these dishes truly special.

The red wine is really good to pair with the main courses, so I highly suggest to get the option with wine-pairing.

The next is a seafood course called the Ginataang Isda. This one comes with labahita, coconut sauce, and roasted squash. The tender fish is topped with a rich coconut sauce that adds a unique flavor profile to the dish.

Our seventh course is a colorful palate cleanser served on fancy dinnerware. The Sorbetes is a watermelon-calamansi sorbet that serves as a sweet and short break to prepare us for the final main course.

Here we have the Sarciado which in the Tagalog language means "cooked with a thick sauce". This powerful dish comes with beef shortribs ala mechada, adlai risotto, and grilled mushrooms. I’ve never had mechado that tasted this good before, and the beef shortribs were really very tender. I was already quite full by this time, but the Sarciado was too good not to finish.

For our desserts, we were offered two delightful and colorful dishes. The Panghimagas Primera was a cassava cake topped with yema and sprinkled with quezo de bola. The Panghimagas Segunda came with a Tablea de Cebu cake, cashew nuts, and mango bits. Both desserts served as great endings to our 10-course culinary adventure.

We would like to thank Chef Tatung for inviting us to his lovely home and personally preparing this preview of his new flavorful tasting menu around the Philippines. You can reserve your own Tatung’s Private Dining experience for P4,700++ per person, or P6,000++ with welcome drink and wine pairing. Seats are very limited so make sure to plan your weekends ahead and enjoy this very unique and memorable dinner.

Tatung's Private Dining

Reservations: (0956) 660-5913